KHFF7 - Nightmare Before Christmas AU
by talinsquall
Summary: Nightmare Before Christmas meets Final Fantasy 7. Throw in a little Kingdom Hearts for flavor. Sephiroth/Zack, Cid/Vincent, Cloud/Leon. AU, OOC, Non-Canon, Homosexuality, Potential/Past Mpreg due to Magic, Swearing, Vincent Valentine from FF7.


A/N: Happy Holidays and a Merry Mpreg to all!

Fandom: Final Fantasy/Kingdom Hearts

Summary: Nightmare Before Christmas meets Final Fantasy 7. Throw in a little Kingdom Hearts for flavor.

Pairings: Sephiroth/Zack, Cid/Vincent, Cloud/Leon

Warnings: AU, OOC, Non-Canon, Homosexuality, Potential/Past Mpreg due to Magic, Swearing, Vincent Valentine from FF7. (Vincent is Sephiroth's Father and Riku's Grandfather in my head canon.)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fan fiction. In certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

XXX

 **KH/FF7 - Nightmare Before Christmas AU**

(Halloween Town - Hinterlands)

Sephiroth started when a door suddenly opened in the tree he was currently perched in. "Intruders? How stimulating. Far better entertainment than the annual Halloween Ball."

"IIIII REGREEET NOOOOTHIIIIING!"

The loud stranger landed facedown in the dirt below. "Yech! This doesn't taste like snow. Yellow or otherwise. Waaait a minute. This isn't snow. This isn't Christmas Town. Damn curiosity. Cid was right. It's gonna get me killed one day. Cloud's gonna finish the daily quota and I won't be there to take the credit. I'll be shoveling reindeer shit for a week again with Kunsel. Same old, same old."

Since the visitor seemed to have a case of the verbal diarrhea, Sephiroth stopped waiting for a pause and floated down for a closer look. "State your business, stranger. If you are a scout for a future invading army, know your life ends here."

The stranger with the luminescent royal blue eyes stared for a long moment, bent to one knee, and clasped Sephiroth's hand in his. "Zackery Fair, Number One Christmas Elf from all the way in Christmas Town, at your service. May I say you are the most beautiful being I have ever seen in my life, and if you can stand my upbeat personality for a minute without killing me, I'll gladly marry you at the nearest marrying place you have around here. By the by, who are you and where is here anyway?"

Sephiroth couldn't decide if the man with the odd hair was too simple to live or to dumb to die properly. "I am Sephiroth, Prince of Halloween Town. Your eyes burn like mine, yet differently. Explain."

Zack kissed Sephiroth's hand. "Can I stand up first?"

Sephiroth dazzled Zack with a half-smile. "No."

Zack rubbed Sephiroth's palm against his blushing cheek. "So that's how it's gonna be. Awesome. Anywhoo, what you see is the glory of Christmas cheer coming through. It comes with being an elf, along with the curved ears. People believe we look a certain way, so the magic follows their belief. It doesn't apply to height, obviously, or you'd be using me as a footstool. You're a prince? Righteous. Will that make me a princess when we get married?"

Sephiroth stepped back and turned away from Zack's shiny smile. "Silly elf. Why would I marry you? You fell out of a tree a few minutes ago. You sound unreliable in your job. Depending on others to do your work for you. Shameful. I will not have a lazy bum as a father for my future princes and princesses."

Sephiroth flinched when Zack appeared before him and craned his head around so their eyes could meet. "Well, your hearing works mighty fine. Cloud took over for me today because I've been working triple shifts for weeks for the Thanksgiving Day rush. You may be the future heir to Halloween Town, but I'm the future heir to the Santa Claus mantle. My adoptive father, Cid, gave me the go-ahead when I showed I could pull off a whole Christmas without destroying the planet."

Sephiroth sniffed and looked away. "Santa Claus? This means, when your father retires or dies, you will become jolly and fat. A slovenly appearance for my subjects to jeer at behind my back. Unacceptable."

The prince inhaled with surprise when Zack easily lifted his seven-foot, winged form with a whoop and twirled in place. "Wives' tales, Angel. Body fat ain't ever gonna land on this boy. We elves work way too hard to get puffy. Heck, Cid's the official Santa Claus and he's ripped as anything for an old man. Not that he looks like an old man. Holiday joy keeps us pretty in Christmas Town."

Sephiroth fidgeted in Zack's embrace, but inwardly purred when he couldn't break the man's hold. A life form who could keep up physically with him. A golden find. However, how did Zack, future Santa Claus, hold up power wise? "Place me down gently and reveal your Light. This will cement my decision for your marriage proposal."

Zack put Sephiroth down carefully, but wouldn't look at him, and kicked at the dirt. "It'll hurt you, Angel. Burn you through and through. I'd sooner leave you forever, and be lonely, then hurt you. Ain't gonna do it."

Sephiroth calmed Zack's disquiet by petting his cheeks. "If you are truly my One, the Light to my Darkness, then our powers shall intertwine. Instead of harming me, I shall be able to feast on your Light to help our future little ones grow strong."

Zack gripped Sephiroth's wrists, then jigged in place. "Can the royal family adopt heirs? I had to learn the job top-to-bottom to become future Santa Claus, but something tells me things work differently for Halloween."

Sephiroth growled, bent down, and rubbed his nose against Zack's. "The lineage of the Pumpkin King can be assured by both males and females of the royal family. Valentines have always had this gift. My father did not take advantage of it, since he met my mother, Lucrecia. She left us when I was born. That is all I wish to speak of her."

Ignoring Sephiroth's curt verbal dismissal, Zack hugged his new love tight. "Her loss. I bet you were a beautiful angel baby."

Sephiroth blinked so his surprising tears wouldn't fall. "A hardened witch, the woman who bore me. If she was not allowed to experiment her spells on me, then I was icky and useless. She had drained my father of nearly half his power before she left. It took my unconditional love and the constant support of our people for him to recover. I swear I will never be like her to my children. Why I am telling you all this, I cannot fathom. This pain has festered in my soul for ages."

Zack thumbed a solitary tear away. "The Honesty Impulse. It's a Christmas elf thing. Don't worry. We can only use what you tell us for good or what passes for good. Cid's a little dicey on the specifics. So I get to father little angel princes and princesses. Merry Christmas to me."

Sephiroth hid his face against Zack's shoulder. "You speak to me of angels and babies. Your thinking consists of Christmas fantasy. This is Halloween Town. I am the Nightmare. A harbinger of Chaos meant to tear out hearts and wither souls. I take dreams and transform them into horrors. I relish in others' pain. I thrive in the recesses of the deepest Darkness. Our union is not meant to be."

Zack ran a steady hand along Sephiroth's wing. "This is not the wing of a monster. It's a wing of an angel. My angel. Open your eyes, beautiful. You'll see the truth."

Sephiroth raised his head and opened his eyes. He gasped at the magnificence surrounding him, enveloping all of the Hinterlands. "Your Light. The splendor of Christmas, yet I do not burn. A scrumptious feast I shall never tire of. Our children shall be so strong."

Zack tilted his head and smacked his lips. "I must say, your Darkness is pretty tasty as well. A little on the smoky side. Like great BBQ."

Sephiroth massaged Zack's shoulders. "My one and only. I shall return you to Christmas Town, then I must speak with my father. I am unsure how he will react to the news. To him, I am still a baby."

Zack played a little with Sephiroth's moon-kissed locks. "You'll always be his baby. Just like I'll always be Cid's. Speaking of Cid, I can't wait for you to meet him. He always swore no one would stand my silliness long enough to keep me."

Sephiroth linked his arm with Zack's and walked with him to the Christmas Town portal. "My silliness. Mine forever."

Zack opened the door and waved Sephiroth on through. "Ho Ho Ho."

XXX

(Halloween Town - Palace Courtyard)

"The Halloween revels had never been better, Pumpkin King. Your creativity flourishes with each passing year."

Vincent Valentine, the Pumpkin King, waved the drunken partygoers away from his throne so he could pull his previously absent son, Sephiroth, into his arms. "Gone from me for a full day. The most important event for our kingdom. What excuse do you have?"

Sephiroth curled his large ebony wing around to hide both him and his father from the curious onlookers. "The best, Father. I have found the One. A Light to temper the Darkness which strengthens my soul."

Vincent cupped his precious boy's face. "Yet how is this? To venture near your solitude would invite the fury of Masamune's blade. Such a suitor would have to be both extremely brave or supremely stupid."

To see the rare blush rise to Sephiroth's cheeks brought warmth to Vincent's heart. " I am afraid Zackary Fair, Number One Christmas Elf, is filled to the brim with both. He is a foreigner and knew almost nothing of our land. It was truly Fate that he should literally flop out of a tree at my feet."

Vincent harrumphed with doubt. "Curious, brash, and rude. He already sounds unworthy of you."

Sephiroth rubbed a hand up-and -down Vincent's back to comfort. "In your eyes, no one is worthy of me. My absence was due to my impromptu meeting with Zack's adoptive father, Cid Highwind. When I helped Zack back to Christmas Town, he would not allow me to leave before I met his mentor."

Brushing a hand through his son's dusky feathers, Vincent ventured a tiny smile. "Allow?"

Sephiroth shrugged. "Zack fell to his knees crying and pleading for me not to go. It was put to a halt by Cid arriving and slapping the back of his head."

Vincent arched an eyebrow. "Christmas Town? This Cid Highwind must have inherited the mantle of Santa Claus. Is he truly the jolly, fat fellow of yore?"

Sephiroth's emerald eyes slid away from his father's piercing crimson gaze. "If you agree, you shall find out tomorrow when you join me in visiting Zack."

Vincent shook his head with a clucking of the tongue. "Sephiroth, I am the Pumpkin King. My duties are everlasting. If your Christmas elf loves you, as you say, then familial meetings can wait until you two get to know each other better."

Ensuring his wing was hiding his visage from prying eyes, Sephiroth hung his head with a pout. "From the first, Zack never flinched from my demonic stare or cringed under the power of my Darkness. He sees me as his Angel and not a monster. He proposed five minutes after he fell from the tree."

Vincent brushed golden gauntleted fingers against his son's cheek. "How many minutes before you replied yes?"

Sephiroth leaned into Vincent's loving wave of Darkness. "Less than one. Please come with me to Christmas Town, Father. Cid won't give his blessing for our union until he meets you."

Vincent embraced his troubled son with a sigh. "Shall I be wearing leather or lace tomorrow?"

Sephiroth relaxed against his father with a contented smile. "The man called Santa Claus does not seem to have a preference, except he does have quite a liking to the color red."

XXX

(Christmas Town - Next Day)

Inhaling nicotine like it was going out of style, Cid Highwind aka Santa Claus rocked back and forth on his heels, observing his adoptive son, Zack Fair, pace himself into a dither in front of the Halloween Tree. "Quit worryin' yerself into an early grave. Ah was kiddin' about the blessin' part. You kids could hitch up any old time. Can't wait to be trippin' over some grandbabies. You positive Sephiroth was certain about the bearin' part?" 'Cause he sure don't have the hips fer it."

Zack paused to blind Cid with his smile. "It's an inherited trait from his father's side of the family. The Pumpkin King Special."

Cid stopped smoking for a moment. "Did Vincent Valentine birth Sephiroth?"

Zack's smile faltered in its brightness. "No. Sephiroth's mother was a witch named Lucrecia. According to Sephiroth, Vincent loved her dearly, but she only wanted him for his power, then left him with a son. She stated living babies were icky and useless. Vincent was devastated when she dumped him."

Cid resumed puffing away. "Sounds like Valentine and Ah had the same taste in women. Shera wasn't an official witch, but she damned sure acted like one befer she bolted for the hills."

Zack toed the snow. "Shera never called me icky. She never called me anything."

Cid flicked the cigarette butt away and placed his hands on Zack's shoulders. "It wasn't yer fault fer mah divorce. Jest when Ah found you, the bitch decided to issue me an ultimatum. Anyone knows ya don't issue Cid Highwind ultimatums. Choose me or the brat. Feh. Shera's lucky she remembered where the main exit to the outside world was. It's better this way. She would've made a shitty Mrs. Claus."

The father-son bonding was interrupted by the distinct click of the Halloween Town door opening.

Instead of flailing to the ground, like Zack had done exiting the Christmas Tree door, Sephiroth drifted down to land serenely on the snow.

Vincent appeared soon after with a swish of his red cape. Taking his son's recommendation into account, the Pumpkin King had wrapped himself in a skintight red leather suit.

Cid stood his ground as Vincent sauntered in his direction. His expression growing more grim and thoughtful with each step the King made towards him.

Zack strode up with his arms wrapped around his nervous fiancé. "Your Highness, this is my father, Cid Highwind, known the world over as Santa Claus."

Vincent flicked his waist-length hair behind a shoulder and crossed his arms against his chest. "I have been greatly misinformed. You are neither fat nor jolly."

Cid emitted a low whistle while his sky-blue eyes roamed up and down Vincent's lissome form. "And you ain't in mah bed heavy with mah babies. Santa definitely gotta rectify this situation."

Instead of being affronted by the stranger's audacity, Vincent sidled closer into Cid's vicinity. "He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you're awake…"

Cid closed the gap to brush unsure fingers along Vincent's flawless face. "Ah know when you've been bad or good. So be bad with me for goodness sake."

Vincent breathed a soft kiss against Cid's fingers when they passed by. "Presumptuous. I see where Zackary learned the art of the swift courtship. Yet, my love shall not be so quickly won. How does the song go? /I really do believe in you. Let's see if you believe in me, Santa Baby./"

At the sound of Vincent's smoky voice singing those words to him, Cid Highwind fell to one knee and clutched Vincent's golden gauntlet between his hands. "Ah ain't gonna lie. Ah'm proud, ornery, stubborn as twenty mules, and most times a downright asshole. Ah was married once, enough to know what doesn't work in a marriage. You've been in front of me fer less than two minutes and Ah already love you more than Ah loved anything in mah sorry life. Point bein', you don't haveta say a thing today or tomorrow. Jest know Ah'll be waitin' and hopin' fer the day when you do say yes to marryin' me."

Zack's glimmering eyes darted back-and-forth. Golden candy canes began to dance around his head. "What's happenin' here? What's goin' on? Is this old folks courting? Nobody said there'd be old folks courting. Isn't there a universal law against it?"

Sephiroth relaxed Zack with a soothing kiss to the temple. "Shush, silly elf. Let Fate work her magic."

Zack bent his head to whisper. "Angel, was I that pathetic when I proposed?"

Sephiroth growled in remembrance. His emerald eyes doubled their fire. "Oh yes. It was delicious."

Vincent amazed Cid with a sultry smile. "Show me Santa's Workshop."

Cid faltered in straightening up. "Don't ya wanna see the house first?"

Vincent helped the confused man to his feet. "I wish to see your home away from home. From my reports, never you mind where I get them, you spend more time in the Workshop then in your actual home. A living situation which could not continue if we married."

Cid dipped his head to hide his regret. "When Ah first was designated Santa Claus, Zack was no bigger than a small bag of beans. Ah had him strapped to mah chest 24/7 while Ah overhauled the Workshop and brought it up to modern day code. The previous Santa had fuck-all imagination. It wasn't easy bein' a single parent, 'specially when the bugger learned how to walk early. Ah swear it won't be the same with our young 'uns. The Workshop's in tip-top shape and Zack's taken near half of mah workload. Anyway, here she is."

Vincent entered the humble one-story wooden cabin, retreated slowly out, then ventured back in. "Fascinating. The outside hints of a small operation, yet I walk into a futuristic mechanized wonderland with assembly lines rising and extending towards infinity. My magic is powered by creativity and the power of Darkness. Your magic is powered by…"

"Possibility and the power of Light. Ah say fuck you to the very notion of impossible and spend most of mah time making it possible. If yer wonderin' if ah'm referring to mah earlier sad marriage proposal, don't. Ah've never had enough sense to be subtle." Cid demonstrated by wrapping his arms around Vincent's waist, so the Pumpkin King could rest against him. To his delight, Vincent did nothing to hinder the motion.

Vincent placed his hands over Cid's. His nimble fingers running along a multitude of scars. "A union between us would prove truly scandalous. A noble marrying a backwater ruffian. Although you hold the title of Santa Claus, and wield all of Christmas's momentous power, my subjects will only hear your gruffness and see your oil-stained hands."

Cid would have backed away, but Vincent merely gripped his hands tighter. "Ah may talk deep country, but ah'm university educated and corporate trained. Ah can talk most city lawyers under the table without a hint of an accent, but ah left all that fake bullshit behind me when ah adopted Zack and became Santa Claus. Shera walked out because she married a hotshot rocket scientist, not a blue-collar working man with a hyper-ass baby who didn't like her. If you feel the need to change me for our marriage to work, then our marriage ain't gonna work, and I'll have to take back my pitiful proposal. Thank you."

Vincent tapped a golden gauntleted finger against Cid's scarred knuckle. "Don't you dare, Santa Claus. You have possibly five times my power, yet you haven't lorded it over me once. In fact, you've taken great pains to hide it from me. Why? Do I seem so weak to you."

Cid ran his nose through Vincent's midnight hair. "Yer batteries run on Darkness. Mine on Light. I'd gut mahself befer Ah'd hurt you. From whut Zack's told me, yer love life's been nothing but hurt from the get-go. Ah never want to see you in pain 'cause of me."

Vincent half-turned to rev Cid's motor with a sultry look. "Then how shall our babies come into the world? There cannot be birth without pain."

Cid chuckled and rocked Vincent side-to-side. "With the help of heavy drugs? Ah'm kiddin.' However, ah'm sensing you wanna little show of Jolly Old Saint Nick's zowie-wowie power."

Vincent twisted all the way around to face Cid. "If your love is true, then instead of harming me, I should be able to feed off Christmas's Light for strength, as I do with Halloween's Darkness. My power would also do the same for you, not that you have need of it."

Cid danced in place with his newfound love. "Ah have need of everythin' ya got to give me, Pumpkin King. Show you mine, if you show me yours."

The pair first exited the Workshop and waited until Zack and Sephiroth took cover before setting their powers free to the heavens.

Vincent sobbed in relief and clutched his hands together with joy as he observed his Darkness twist and intertwine with Cid's overwhelming Light. "I had hoped. Deep down in my blackened heart, I prayed for this. I love and I am loved in return. With Santa Claus, of all beings. Life is strange."

Cid wiped Vincent's bloody tears away. "Are these happy tears, Pumpkin King? Ah'm not hurtin' you?"

Vincent sniffed and shook his head. "No. Your Christmas Light has been recognized and accepted by my soul. Such a bounty. I had no idea. Although, I shall need the extra sustenance when I am with child."

Overflowing with relief, Cid relaxed and released the rest of his power he'd been holding back. "Then consider me yer all-night buffet."

Vincent's crimson eyes widened in awe at the glory of the Northern Lights up close and he began to laugh. "Oh, Cid Highwind. You shall never be free of me."

Cid let out a yeehaw, picked up a chuckling Vincent, and swung him in a circle. "You better swear on that, Valentine. 'Cause Ah'm gonna hold ya to it 'til the day Ah die."

Over in the corner, behind the mini carousel, Sephiroth reassured an extremely confused Zack. "Our family shall be joined twofold. It is a good thing. News of your father's great power joined to the Pumpkin King's shall have the subjects of both our realms dancing in the streets. Our kingdoms will grow and prosper."

Zack continued to shake his head and murmur to himself. His golden candy canes were now waltzing with merry gingerbread men. "Marriage? Second family? What gives? Isn't there a time limit on old people? I just don't get it."

Sephiroth clutched his early Christmas gift close with a sinful smile. His Darkness feasting freely on Zack's agitated excess power. "Silly elf, you make me so happy and feed me so well."

XXX

(Halloween Town Interlude - Cloud/Leon)

Leon, the long-haired Halloween cat in charge, glanced up from his checklist. "You're not from around here."

The blond stranger's expression remained blank. "Did my jingle bells give me away?"

Feline ears flicking in irritation, Leon's attention returned to his checklist. His disobedient tail winded around to wave a sensuous hello in front of Cloud's face "I was about to say that you're too tall to be an elf, but Matron taught me not to lie to strangers. The order to Christmas Town was for a Jack-of-all trades for the upcoming nuptials. You don't look like a Jack."

'Cause I'm a Cloud."

Reacting to a caress and sharp tug to his tail, Leon whirled around with a snarl. "You rude-ass bastard! What gives you the right to touch me?"

To Leon's fury, Cloud's expression remained cold. "You asked for someone to provide what you need. I am that elf. Need something built? I can build it. Need something hauled or lifted? Say the word and it will be done. Zack swore on the Christmas spirit that I can have whatever I want if I help the transition between our kingdoms go smoothly. I was really doing this as a favor for my best friend, and to get a breather from the Workshop, but I think I've changed my mind. Such a pretty kitty. You smell nice too. I think I'll keep you. Where can we get married around here?"

Leon held the list to his chest and glared at the crazy man. The fact the elf said all this in a monotone, merely freaked the high-strung brunet cat out more. "Big rude talk. I heard all about you elves and your two second marriage proposals. Words mean nothing to me. Show me with your actions."

Leon tore off a copy of the transition checklist and thrust it against Cloud's red sweater chest. "Here's the main bulk of the work. If you're truly Cloud Strife, Zack's right-hand elf, then you already know how to set up work teams and delegate responsibility. The support for Vincent and Sephiroth is absolute, so the citizens should not give you any trouble."

Cloud's electric-blue gaze ran down the list he held in one hand, while he caressed Leon's captured paw with the other. The Christmas cheer in his eyes blazed with the intensity of his concentration. "Should the work be done as listed or alphabetically?"

To his consternation, Leon failed to free his hand from Cloud's grip no matter how hard he yanked. "Are you mocking me? I don't know what you've heard, but I am not anal and prudish, merely thorough and perceptive. Please let my hand go. I'm losing feeling in my fingers."

Cloud released the paw with a sigh. "So delicate. You wouldn't even last the after-Halloween/pre-Thanksgiving mini work rush."

Leon meowed, held his sore hand to his chest, and lowered his eyes. The unconscious submissive act served to inflame Cloud's inner fervor to a fever pitch, not that his outer expression showed it one whit. "I do what I can with what I have. I was born with more Light than Darkness in my soul and it hindered me significantly growing up in Halloween Town. I am considered a fine success for getting so far in life with so little. At least, I tell myself this when I feel sad and alone. I don't know why I told you that."

Cloud brushed the falling tears from Leon's face with his thumb then licked it. "Mmm. Your Darkness tastes like butterscotch. The Honesty Impulse is a Christmas elf thing. Don't ask me how it works, but we elves are only supposed to use the ability for good. Well, sooner this list gets done. The closer we can get to being hitched."

Leon shuttered his eyes and took five long breaths. "Why do elves need to be married so fast? We've just met. I know little about you and you know nothing about me. I don't care if you resemble my dream come true. You won't get my love so easily. Why do I keep speaking my innermost heart's secrets?"

Leon opened his eyes to Cloud handing the list back. "I hate your Christmas honesty thing, which is making me really dislike you. What's the matter? Barking orders to others too strenuous for you. It will take at least five months to get through half of the list. It doesn't have to be all done today."

Cloud sagged in place. "You should've been more specific of the timetable. If you don't want to marry me, then I should return to the Workshop to relieve Zack from doing actual labor requiring thought.

To answer Leon's unsure expression, Cloud held his pointer finger up and circled it, directing the long-haired cat to survey his surroundings.

As Leon rotated around, his released emotions of Darkness-tinged awe, surprise, and thankfulness fed Cloud's frenzied inner Light, cementing the fact that Leon was the One for him. "The gazebo…. The entranceway… The new woodwork! I was informed the specific way of carving was lost to the ages. Wait. I closed my eyes for five seconds. How the hell?"

Cloud responded to Leon's stern gaze with a resigned shrug. "Santa's elves. We make the impossible possible. Compared to a regular week in the Workshop, your list was a cinch."

Leon's blue-gray eyes narrowed in thought. He released a relaxing purr ruminating over all the impossible possible he could get out of Cloud Strife for a lifetime. The checklists were endless. "Smile. I refuse to go through life with a man who has only one expression."

Cloud shifted uneasily in his black boots. "I have nothing to smile about."

Leon's purr rose in volume as he swayed into Cloud's personal space. One clawed finger ran down a muscled chest ending at a distinct eight-pack. "Hmmm. Nice. Guess what I'm wearing underneath my leather pants."

Cloud's knees visibly shook. "Panties?"

Leon laughed and ran his fingers through Cloud's spiky locks. "In the future, if you wish, but usually I wear absolutely nothing. Like right now."

Cloud's smile and released Light cleared the palace courtyard and temporarily blinded the Halloween Town citizens for miles around. "Sorry. I typically have better control over my Christmas cheer. Did I hurt you? Please say I didn't hurt you."

Fortunately, Leon remembered to breath. "No. I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine. If I was truly one with the Darkness, I would have been vaporized or at least have third-degree burns. Why am I not hurt?"

Cloud embraced Leon and held on when his nervous kitten squirmed at the closeness. "It's because you're the one for me. If I have to wait for you to say yes, I will. But if there's nothing else to do, I have to get back to the factory and relieve Zack. The Workshop can only take so much heartfelt exuberance."

Leon quieted his wiggling and tentatively returned Cloud's hug. "I don't know. We've just met, and I'm still irritated with you, but I don't want you to leave. I'm terrified you won't come back and I'll be alone again. This Christmas honesty thing is getting tiresome. It's part of my daily routine to lie to myself. I'm shutting up now."

Cloud rubbed his cheek against Leon's. "Show me where you live. I'm sure I'll find something to fix or tinker at for awhile."

Leon took Cloud's hand and walked towards the Palace Courtyard's exit. "I guess I should warn you. I live with my adoptive little sister, Yuffie."

Cloud attempted to keep up with Leon, while being hypnotized by his love's saucy tail. "What's a Yuffie?"

Leon ducked his head as he slammed the Courtyard's gate closed. "Good question. Yuffie cannot be explained, only experienced. This is your first and final warning."

XXX

(Christmas Town - Seven Years Later)

"And they all lived happily ever after. The End." Cid placed the book to the side and kissed his youngest son, by ten minutes, on the forehead. "Time fer sleep. Gonna have a busy day tomorrow."

Yazoo snuggled against his father's rock-hard chest. "Do I have to go? I'm not sick of the Light all the time, just around the Happy Holidays. I don't wanna go live in Halloween Town. Who's gonna bring you your afternoon tea?"

Cid tried to hide his own tears as his baby's body shook with sobs. "Now. Now. There ain't no reason to cry. With yer soul-deep connection to the Darkness, you'll be the next great Pumpkin King. Yer already the main contributor behind your Momma for the Halloween festivities. And it's not like yer not gonna see me again. Ah'll be knockin' on that castle door every night hopin' yer Momma will let me in."

Yazoo snorted and wiped his nose against Cid's red flannel shirt. "You'll be going to the Workshop in the morning and coming back to the castle in Halloween Town after work?

Cid chortled and cuddled his boy closer. "Yep. You won't even know I'm missing."

Yazoo picked at one of Cid's shirt buttons. "But Papa… There's no after work with you. You're always working."

Cid glanced up to meet Vincent's adoring crimson eyes across the way. "Well, it took one of mah babies getting sick befer ah woke up to reality. Big lazy brother Zack's gonna take up the slack. He's been drivin' Sephiroth nuts anyway."

Cid glanced down and smiled. His little pumpkin had fallen asleep while he droned on. "Damned near gave me a stroke, Vince, seeing our baby faint in front of me. And the best thing ah can do is send him away. Loz won't leave the Workshop and Kadaj is becoming a first-rate reindeer whisperer. But this little one… He's the kid who depends on me the most and ah can't do a damn thing to help him. Mah Christmas cheer only hurts him more. Pretty mean trick, Pumpkin King."

Vincent knelt beside the bed and brushed Yazoo's hair away from his face. Like Sephiroth before, the King was loath to snip one strand of his boy's silvery hair. "Not everything can be a treat, Santa Claus. The Darkness has chosen. Its will must be done. Sephiroth heard the call in his youth, but could never abide the drudgery of court life, nor the social duties required for the title. Yazoo thrives under the collective love of the Halloween Town subjects. It's better this way. Sephiroth and I shall be there to oversee his education and keep the sycophants at bay. Our baby shall make a fine Pumpkin King."

Cid covered his slumbering son with the blankets and stood up next to Vincent. "He's so tiny. Little-bitty bird bones. Loz was cursed with mah farmer bones and Kadaj is right in the middle. Was the Light makin' Yazoo sick all this time?"

Vincent continued to brush through Yazoo's hair with his fingers. "I think not. Hard to believe, but Sephiroth was once so small. It is a Valentine trait. A deceptive frailty to entice hulking country boys into our clutches."

Vincent rose up to sway into Cid's arms. "Does it still work?"

Cid ho ho ho'd and tugged his life-mate closer. "You know it does. Gonna be bangin' on yer castle door every night, Valentine. Ya better let me in."

Vincent growled and lightly scratched Cid's arm with his gauntlet. "Silly Santa. More locks shall be added and the chimney fires will be burning bright enough to melt the very marrow from your bones."

Cid side-stepped towards the bedroom door with a smirking Vincent held tight in his arms. "There's mah naughty Pumpkin King. Keepin' Kris Kringle on his toes. Better warn the servants. 'Cause they're gonna get an eyeful when Ah catch ya."

XXX

(Santa's Workshop - A Few Months Later)

The sound of stalled clunking gears filled the air, along with the acrid smell of smoke.

Zack shook his fists up towards the ceiling. "Why ya do me this way, Baby? I treat ya right. I give ya all I have, then you break me down and leave me lonely."

Sephiroth casually turned the page of his book, while he reclined on a conveniently placed sofa. He placed a reassuring hand over his lower belly. "Get used to the insane ramblings of your father, my girl. They shall only increase the nearer we get to Christmas Eve."

Twenty stories up, Loz poked his head over the balcony. "It's the weight distribution, Big Brother. It's too heavy for some of the belts to move properly."

Zack stared at nothing for a few moments, then jumped into action. "Of course! It's so simple. What did we ever do before you were born Loz?"

Loz filled the Workshop with merry laughter before returning to his prototype. "Make a big mess. The Workshop could always talk. Nobody bothered to listen to her, except Papa, and he always argues back."

Zack's jingle belled hat flew one way. His red sweater flew another and he commenced redistributing heavy product with a bare chest and rippling muscles. His released magic flowed upward through the Workshop. "Sorry, Angel. I know you were counting on me joining you for lunch. Why don't you eat without me."

Sephiroth's novel lay forgotten. He ran a slow finger up-and-down the book's spine as his fiery eyes perused Zack's fit form. His freed Darkness caressed and nipped sustenance from his husband's chaotic Light for their growing child. "Oh, but I am."

Zack wiggled a little when a tendril of Darkness tickled him just right. "Frisky angel. What's my missing firstborn up to, instead of helping his old man work himself into an early grave?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed with concentration, then widened with the snarkiness of his son's mental response through the Darkness. "Riku is traipsing around Halloween Town again, stalking your best friend's offspring. While Sora Strife is a surprising delight, seven-years-old is too young an age to give another one's ultimate devotion."

Zack flopped next to Sephiroth and mauled the Prince with an all-over sweaty glomp. "I dunno. If I met you, when I was seven, I would've crawled into your lap and never let go. At least, our boy knows good people when he meets them in the playpen. If Sora didn't have kitty ears and a tail, I'd swear he was Christmas elf through and through."

Sephiroth's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Your conduct is unflattering and your aroma is nauseating to my senses."

Zack trailed kisses from the tip of Sephiroth's ear to his lower stomach. "You love it."

Sephiroth's wing came around to hide their intertwined bodies. "Unfortunately, I do. Loz!"

Loz saluted from his vantage point far above. "I see nothing, other Big Brother. The Workshop's taking pity on Zack and is redistributing the weight on her own. She should be stable until Papa takes over."

Zack's thumbs up appeared from under the wing. "I love little brothers. They make life so much easier."

XXX

(Halloween Town - Cloud/Leon, Riku/Sora)

Leon handed the sack lunch to his six-year-old son, Sora, and righted the cherished jingle bell hat, given by Santa Cid, over the boy's fluttery kitty ears. "Straight to Daddy's worksite, then join Auntie Aerith and Kairi in the Royal Gardens to play. You can only stop and help someone if they actually ask you. Brain talking doesn't count."

Sora's tail drooped with dismay. "I don't mean to, Mommy. I feel their pain and I have to try to fix their problem. When I don't, I feel yucky inside. I don't mean to get sick."

Leon kissed his baby's cheeks and the tip of his nose. "Of course you don't. You want to help so much but you don't have enough inner power yet. Remember what Daddy said? Let yourself grow and get stronger and you'll be a better Christmas elf than him."

Sora self-consciously twisted his tail with his hands. "I'll be the first Christmas elf cat. Mommy, will you be okay when I go to work in Santa's Workshop when I grow up? You got so mad when Daddy took me to Christmas Town to visit Uncle Zack last time."

Leon hugged his kitten close. "Your Daddy tried to keep it a secret. He knows how much I hate secrets, especially when it comes to you and your health. He's lucky you're like Riku and can handle the brunt of Christmas cheer well. I will be fine knowing you're happy."

Sora rested his cheek against Leon's. "Daddy needs his lunch, Mommy."

Leon sighed and allowed his baby to leave his arms. "So he does. Mommy loves you, Sora."

"I love you too, Mommy." Sora skipped cheerfully away.

Leon was thankful to observe a Riku-shaped shadow flit after him. The citizens of Halloween Town considered Sora a Light-filled miracle. A beacon of cheery hope for a Darkness-ruled land. The fear of kidnapping had been constant since Sora's birth. His kitten's trusting nature did not help.

"The kid's already hatched, so quit sitting on him."

Leon shivered as his adoptive little ghostly sister brushed past him. "Yuffie, be a wraith or a great ninja. You can't be both."

Yuffie reclined on a nonexistent chair. "Says you. I'd tell you not to do what you're going to do, but you never listen to good advice."

Rediscovered the night before, Leon clutched the half-full vial, hidden in his pocket. "Sora's growing up. His future is assured. Cloud's adoration is never-ending, but I still need more."

Yuffie grazed a freezing hand against Leon's shoulder. "I love being an auntie, but your insecurity isn't going to disappear with a new baby, Leon."

Leon wheeled around and scurried back into the house. "It will help, Yuffie."

Yuffie wafted through the front door Leon had slammed shut. "Do you remember what happened the last time you drank that gunk? Day-glo puke for days followed by non-stop convulsions. Cloud was sure Rinoa had poisoned you. At least tell the crazy elf before you drink the pregnancy potion. It's been six years, but I think Rinoa still has the finger bruises around her neck."

Leon sat down and fidgeted with the small glass bottle. "Rinoa's forgiven me and you didn't have to record the incident."

Yuffie twirled in the air. "I so did. There's stone-cold Cloud choking your witch ex-girlfriend one-handed while "Have A Holly, Jolly Christmas" played from everywhere and nowhere. The playback had King Vincent in bloody tears with demonic joy. It's too bad Cloud refused to reenact it for the Halloween Pageant. He would've won Grand Prize."

Leon carefully placed the vial on the table. "If I wasn't already pregnant with Sora, Cloud would have left me. Above all else, Christmas elves cannot abide deceit from the ones they love. It actually scars their heart."

Yuffie settled cross-legged on top of the table. "The scar isn't so bad. It sorta resembles a lightning bolt. Don't look at me that way. Cloud was sleeping when I stuck my head through his chest."

Leon sighed and rested his head against the table with a thunk. "I'm a horrible hypocrite. I can't stand lies, but I expect Cloud to excuse mine, even though they permanently injure him."

Yuffie petted between Leon's flattened ears. "Tell the crazy elf?"

Leon thunked his head against the table again. "I will tell the crazy elf before I drink the nasty pregnancy potion."

XXX

(Halloween Town - Same Day)

Sora's skipping became a run and he made a flying leap in the air. "Daddy!"

Cloud whirled in place on the scaffold and caught his shining kitten. "Here's my boy. Is it lunchtime already?"

Sora shook the sack in his hand. "Yep. I helped Mommy make it."

Cloud blew a loud raspberry against Sora's cheek. "Then I love it even more."

Sora frowned when Cloud set him down and looked back at his unfinished work with a wince. "It's our special time, Daddy. You promised."

Cloud sat down on the scaffold and rested his back against the stone wall. He allowed himself a small smile when he felt Sora nestle against his side. "I'll eat this wonderful sandwich and you soak up all the Christmas cheer you can handle."

Sora hid his face against Cloud's chest. He instantly felt invigorated bathing in his father's power. "I'll get strong just like you, Uncle Zack, and Santa Cid."

Cloud kissed Sora's forehead. "Stronger even. Uncle Zack and Loz were so happy when I told them you would be working in the Workshop when you grow up. They can't wait."

Sora stole one of Cloud's cookies. "Neither can I. Daddy? Something's wrong with Mommy. He's sad and scared. I want to help him but the Light won't tell me what I can do."

Cloud brushed cookie crumbs from Sora's lap. "There's nothing you can do. Mommy needs my help to fix his problem and he's scared I'll say no."

Sora's glare-frown, inherited from Leon, brought another smile to Cloud's face. "That's stupid. You never say no to Mommy."

Cloud hugged his boy tight. "Especially about this particular problem You know you and your Mommy are my most precious people."

Sora giggled and wiggled. "I know."

Cloud handed another cookie to Sora and kissed his cheek. "You're all full of Christmas cheer and ready for the Royal Gardens. Don't leave Kairi waiting."

Sora jumped down, and waved, before he skipped away. "I love you, Daddy."

Cloud waved back to his little Light. "I love you, Sora."

Cloud waited two beats, then spoke softly to the air. "Riku Fair, I'm trusting you to do right by my boy. You hurt or disrespect him in any way and there'll be nothing to save your sneaky princely teleporting butt. Your Dad and Mom know this for a fact."

Riku's seven-year-old form appeared from the very ether. His inherited power making the very air shimmer and crackle around him. "Never ever, Mr. Strife. I swear on the Fair name and the House of Valentine. Sora's the one for me."

"I'm holding you to that, Riku." Cloud jerked his head in the direction Sora had bounced off to. "My boy's glowing like the sun to the hungry denizens of Halloween Town, skipping alone and defenseless. Why are you wasting time talking to me? Strife family trust relies on actions not words."

Riku smartly saluted before whisking away. "Yessir, Mr. Strife. Leave Sora's welfare to me."

Cloud exhaled and cracked his neck. "Actions not words. Guess I have a problem to fix. An elf's job is never done."

XXX

(Halloween Town - Later the Same Day)

Like his son at lunchtime, Leon hid his face against Cloud's naked chest. His elf had left work early to return home and love him. The cat had drunk the pregnancy potion with his mate's complete approval. His lower belly now full with Cloud's efforts.

Cloud nuzzled Leon's forehead. "Can you tell if it took yet? We can try again if you're up for it."

Leon meowed his weariness, then purred feeling Cloud caress his lax body. "No need. I felt my hips shift the second time we made love. We'll need to buy extra buckets when the projectile vomiting starts."

Cloud continued to pet his beloved Halloween cat. "Yuffie informed me you spoke with Rinoa before I came home. Has she ever told you why I reacted so badly last time?"

Leon snuggled closer to his husband. "I figured it was all my fault. Lies can never lead to happiness, just pain and heartbreak."

Cloud inhaled his love's scent to help himself remain calm. "You ever figure why Rinoa calls me Sperm Donor instead of Cloud.?"

Leon wouldn't meet Cloud's intense gaze. His inner unease rising with the memories of his former girlfriend's obsessive ways. "Rinoa has an odd sense of humor. She doesn't mean to sound mean."

Cloud tightened his embrace around his Halloween cat. "She just is. Don't push me away. I have a legitimate reason to dislike Rinoa. The sole reason the witch gave you the pregnancy potion was so you would have the children, but raise them with her. I was, in her words, to fuck off back to Tinsel Town and forget you ever existed. I don't remember the rest of the discussion, but we can thank Yuffie for recording the ensuing carnage."

Leon sighed. "I've told her over and over to find a new dream. Mine's come true and I'm never giving it up."

Cloud kissed Leon's temple. "Neither am I. If you're wondering about future pregnancy potions, Aerith volunteered her services whenever you wish. Rinoa actually stole some of the ingredients from her private storeroom."

Leon groaned in dismay. "Stealing from the the Pumpkin King's official Healer? If Rinoa continues her self-serving thievery, she'll lose her head. Aerith's love for me and Sora won't save her forever."

Cloud ran his fingers down Leon's arm. "Just remember her problems aren't yours to deal with anymore. You'll have enough trouble keeping up with the new Christmas kitten."

Leon's purrs filled the room. "Oh yes, but you'll always be by my side to help me."

Cloud gripped his love closer. "Damned right I will."

XXX

(Halloween Town - Eight Annual Halloween-Christmas Pageant)

(Royal Chambers)

Vincent twirled in front of the roaring fireplace. "How do I look?"

Cid, transformed into his full Santa persona for the party, remained seated, since he doubted he could stand up with his sudden erection. "Ah'm seein' cheeks, Valentine, and Ah ain't talkin' 'bout the ones on yer face."

The Pumpkin King coyly blinked over one shoulder. "Calm, Santa. My cape will cover all which is yours from the crowd. It will be our little lace-covered secret. A gift you may unwrap later tonight."

Cid motioned for Vincent to float to his arms. "Why didn't ya say ya wanted another baby? Ah gotta strong heart, but the red lace should be saved fer when Ah'm on mah death bed."

Vincent settled on Santa Cid's lap and nuzzled around the temporary white beard. "Am I so transparent? The triplets are getting older and many of my Halloween duties are being overseen by Yazoo with Sephiroth's guidance. It's time."

Cid met Vincent's lips with his own. "Merry Christmas to me. Ah'll change back to Cid, the rocket scientist, after you give yer speech."

Vincent's kisses trailed from Cid's mouth to his ear and ended in a sultry whisper. "Don't you dare. This is my night and I want every inch of my Santa. I plan to gorge on Christmas cheer."

Cid chuckled so hard Vincent almost slid off his lap. "Ho Ho Ho! Vincent Valentine, chubby chaser. Will wonders never cease."

XXX

(Secret Room Adjacent to the Main Ballroom)

Leon shifted weight from one foot to another, holding his slumbering newborn kitten to his chest. His tail waving to-and-fro frantically. "The royal bassinet. I could never presume, Prince Sephiroth…"

Sephiroth ended the non-argument by gently taking the babe from Leon's arms and placing the blond boy down next to his own sleeping baby princess. "Pish posh, Leon. There is more than enough room and Namine always sleeps better with company. As for the formality, Riku is merely waiting for Sora to reach maturity to make his intentions publicly known. Our husbands are best friends and we are nearly family. You shall call me Sephiroth."

Leon bent his head with a small smile. "Yes, sir..er.. Sephiroth. Thank you."

Yuffie wafted by to sink down next to the baby bed. "Relax, Leon. Great Aunt Yuffie's on guard duty. Go get drunk, dance with the reindeer, and make Cloud jealous."

Sephiroth peered through the two-way mirror to the Ballroom and swore. "Kadaj and his damned reindeer. I suppose I should be happy he didn't bring the whole herd. Perhaps I can convince him to return Tinsel home. His outfit is outlandish enough."

Yuffie waved a hand in dismissal. "Santa Cid already tried. Kadaj insists Tinsel is an integral part of his costume, Rhinestone Reindeer Cowboy. Relax. From what I've seen so far, the reindeer is acting more civilized than most of the revelers out there, especially Zack."

After locating and observing his husband's drunken antics, Sephiroth narrowed his emerald eyes. "Riku!"

The silver-haired eldest appeared in front of his mother with an irritated expression. "What? I was keeping Sora company."

Sephiroth's wing came around to smack his son on the back. "Sass me later. Collar your father and return him to the Workshop. Sora's daddy deserves a nice date night with Sora's mommy and your father is running out of clothes to strip off."

After Riku blinked out, Leon edged near Sephiroth's space. "Sora's daddy's name is Cloud and I'm sure he will thank you for the night off."

Sephiroth crossed his arms against his chest and shook his head. "Riku will be your son-in-law in the future. You should understand his particular way of thinking. The focus is Sora. It has been Sora since they first met in the cradle. Each day, when he returns from his messaging duties for Halloween Town, it will be for Sora, not for us or our kingdoms."

Leon nodded. "If Sora did not invite Riku's advances, I would be scared for my boy, but Sora's devotion to Riku is just as strong. It comforts me when I think about his future."

Sephiroth placed a hand on Leon's shoulder. "It also places me at ease. My firstborn's power is astounding yet chaotic. Without Sora's Light to guide him, I fear my son would grow to be a very wicked man."

Leon halted Sephiroth's depressive thoughts by placing his hand over the Prince's. "Riku is a mischievous child, much like his father, Zack. I suggest we find our Christmas elves and celebrate Halloween while our babies slumber on."

Sephiroth smiled in agreement, dropped his hand, then walked towards the door. "Guard my daughter with your un-life, Yuffie. There are worse things than death if you fail."

Yuffie saluted to the Prince's departing back. "Yes sir. Nothing like threats to keep me honest."

Leon's joy returned, feeling Cloud's arms wrap around his waist. "I guess Zack's returned to the Workshop. Yuffie, it will be the first time I've left the baby since he's been born. If anything should happen…"

Yuffie made pushing motions towards the couple. "Sheesh! Ya think these kids are going to stay asleep forever? Get lost! Loz won't come in here until you guys skedaddle and he always lets me play with the next year's gotta-have toys. It's our pageant tradition. So scram!"

Leon stopped in mid-step as Cloud was moseying him towards the Ballroom. "Playing? Toys? What happened to guarding my baby?"

Yuffie waved her arms in exasperation. "I will be with Loz! If anyone's stupid enough to bypass castle security, beat the might of the Pumpkin King and Santa Claus combined, and take down Kadaj with his psycho reindeer, then they're welcome to attack Loz. I've been informed the Workshop will somehow travel through time and space to fall on the attackers. Good times will be had by all."

Leon pondered the strangeness of such a spectacle and sighed. "Santa Cid sets up the oddest security measures for his children and grandchildren. I suppose I should be glad, for Sora's sake."

Sauntering through the Ballroom, arm-in-arm, Cloud whispered in Leon's ear.

Leon's laughter pealed through the room. His answer belied, as always, by his naughty tail, wrapping tight around Cloud's thigh. "Another kitten? So soon? I'm not sure… You'll have to catch me first!"

XXX

(Santa's Workshop Floor - Next Morning)

Zack woke up, completely nude, with a seven-foot angel hovering over him. "Partridge in a pear tree. If I'm dead, why is my ass freezing?"

Sephiroth straightened up to a kneeling position. "You're not hung-over enough to ask that question. Stripping in front of the Halloween court. Allowing the nobles to view what belongs to me. Shameless. I should abandon you here and return to my daughter. Her Christmas Light shall appease my heart until she is grown. You will no doubt see Riku again when Sora comes of age and begins to work at the Workshop. Ten years apart is a satisfactory sentence for the embarrassment I had to endure last night."

While Sephiroth spoke, Zack had managed to crawl over, wrap his arms around his husband's waist, and bury his face in a leather covered lap. "Don't talk like that, Angel. It hurts my heart right down to the bottom. Riku's been a free spirit since he was born. I see him when I see him, but Namine's fresh outta the box. Don't keep my baby away from me. I have a hard enough time believing she's ours to begin with."

Sephiroth couldn't help himself, brushing his long fingers through spiky black locks. "In this case, my threat is a hollow one. Our child is a being completely filled with love and Light, miraculously born from my Darkness-fed body. Like Yazoo, I fear her unique condition will take her away from me soon. Halloween Town is not the right environment for her. Christmas Town would be a more fitting place for our princess's brilliance."

"Is this why you've been so uptight lately?" Zack reached up to grasp the emerald charm hanging around Sephiroth's neck. "Aerith made this specially for you so you could withstand Christmas Town's joy for extended periods of time. Sure you'll have to return to Halloween Town, but not for a while. We'll make it a weekly Date Night. Cid's been yelling at me to take more days off anyways."

Sephiroth tugged Zack's hair. "A sensible plan, but I don't have to like it. Speaking of not liking things. Why must you strip whenever you get frustrated and overworked? It's starting to become Halloween Pageant tradition and it needs to stop."

Zack shrugged from his prone position. "It's how I roll, Angel. According to Cid, every Santa has to find a way to let out steam or he'll die of a heart attack the first year out. Cid jumps Vincent every chance he can get and I go sky clad at parties. A small price to pay for daily hardcore Christmas lovin.' Now quit being mean, Seph. My head's punishing me enough."

Sephiroth failed to lessen his love's pain by bonking Zack on the head. "Hangovers are never an excuse. I checked on our daughter while you were passed out. She and Riku will be spending the day at the Strife's house. As you say, it is time for my daily hardcore Christmas loving."

Zack buried his head even further into his soul-mate's lap. "Can I at least get off the floor and put on some pants?"

Sephiroth ran a possessive hand down Zack's muscled back with a wicked smile. "No."

Zack twisted around, guaranteeing Sephiroth received an eyeful of the Christmas elf's package. "So that's how it's gonna be. Awesome."


End file.
